Improvement in furnaces for decomposing steam



` 2 Sheets-Shee'cl.A A.WEBER. FURNACES FOR DEGOMPOSING STEAM. No.185,806Patented 13e.ze,18754 c d d @LBA wmlgses.

THE GRAPH IC C0. N.Y.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. WEBER.

FURNACES FOR DECOMPOSING STEAM.

Patented Dec. 26, 1876.

lmymtw v. (Lm Ww wwwa 5ms.

www

THE GRAPHIC C!)A NA.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE3 ADAM WEBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN FURNACES FOR DECOMPOSING STEAM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,806, dated December26, 1876; application filed December 2, 1876.

To all ywhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM WEBER, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnaces forDecomposing Steam, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich- Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and economicalapparatus for decomposing steam, by passing' the same through anincandescent mass of carbonaceous matter.

My invention consists in the combination of a furnace containingadecomposingchamber lined with lire-bricks, returnchannels running up anddown in said lining-bricks, and opening into the space beneath the grateof the furnace; a pipe which embraces the furnace, and is provided withbranch pipes, which communicate one with each of the return-channels;and two supply-pipes-one for air and. the other for steamboth connectedto the pipe which embraces the furnace, all the pipes being providedwith suitable stop-cocks, so that the supply of air or steam to each ofthe return;channels can be regulated, and that by injecting the heatedair beneath the grate of the furnace the combustion of the charge in thedecomposing-chamber is promoted, and by injecting the superheated steambeneath the grate said steam is compelled to pass through the entirecharge of the decomposing-chamber, and its complete decomposition isinsured.

In the drawing, the letter A designates a furnace, which is providedwith a grate, B.

Above this grate is situated a decomposingchamber, A', which is linedwith tire-bricks C. The grate is, by preference, made -basketshaped, orwith a depression in its middle, so that the charge will have a tendencyto work down toward the lowest portion of the grate, and that the ashesare free to discharge through the spaces between the grate-bars, leavingsaid spaces open for the. passage of air or steam. The ashes which passthrough the grate-bars accumulate in the ash-chamber D, from which theyare either raked out through doors in its sides, or from which they maybe dumped through suitable doors in its bottom. When the furnace is inoperation, all these doors must be firmly closed and luted, to preventthe escape of gases and the entrance of external air.

In the lire-bricks C, which form the lining of the heatingehamber A',are formed channels or ducts E, which, in the example shown in thedrawing, are made in the form of returnchannels, ruiming up and downthrough the tire-bricks in vertical directions, the lire brickscontaining said ducts or channels being retained in the proper relationtoward each other by tongues and grooves, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3ofthe drawing. One branch oteach ot' the return-channels opens beneaththe grate B, while its other branch connects with a pipe, F, thatextends all round the furnace, Iand is provided with a seriesof branchpipes, F, one for each ofthe return-channels. Each of these branch pipesis provided with a stop-cock, so that the communication between the pipeF and each ofthe return-channels E can be controlled. The pipe Fconnects, by means of a pipe, Gr, with a reservoir containing compressed air, and, by means of a pipe, H, with a steam-generator. Boththese pipes are provided with stop-cocks, so that they can be opened orclosed at will.

The top of the generating-chamber is closed by an arch, I, which isprovided with three (more or less) openings, a b c, through which thecharge is introduced. rI he opening b communicates with the chimney andwith a pipe, d, the chimney serving to carry oi the gaseous products ofcombustion, while the products resulting from the decomposition of thesteam are carried off through the pipe d.

rBetween the outer wall J and lire-bricks C is a layer, K, ofplaster-paris or other suitable material, to reduce the loss of heat byradiation.

The furnace is charged with anthracite coal, peat, coke, or othercarbonaceous matter; and after the charge has been ignited, theair-blast pipe Gr and all the branch pipes F are opened, and, by theaction of the blast injected through the return-channels E beneath thegrate, the charge is soon brought to a high state of combustion.

As the temperature ot' the charge is raised, the air in its passagethrough the return-channels E becomes highly heated, and the heat of thecharge in the decomposing-chamber is rapidly raised to the highestpossible point. During this stage of the operation., the communicationbetween the opening b and the chimney is open, and the gas-escape pipe dis closed. When the charge has become heated to a white heat, theair-pipe G is closed, and immediately thereafter, or as soon as all theoxygen of the air in the decomposing-chamber has been consumed, thecommunication between the opening b and the chimney is closed, and thesteam-pipe H and the gas-es cape pipe d are opened. The steam thusadmitted to the pipe F passes through the return-channels E, where itbecomes superheated, and in this state it is caused to pass through theincandescent carbonaceous matter contained in the decomposing-chamber.1n its passage through the incandescent mass the superheated steambecomes decomposed, the hydrogen gas contained therein being set free,while the oxygen gas enters into combination with the carbon containedin the decomposing-chamber, forming carbonic oxide. The gases thusevolved pass oi' through the pipe d, and they are finally puried andused for heating or illuminating purposes. By the action of the steamthe temperature ot' the charge in the decomposing-chamber is reduced,and when it has reached a red heat, the steam-pipe H and the gas-pipe dare closed, the communication between the opening b and the chimney isopened, and a fresh supply ot' air is injected through thereturn-channels, and after the charge has been again brought to a whiteheat, the air-pipe is closed and the steam-pipe is opened, and so on.

It will be readily seen from this description that, by injecting airbelow the grate of the furnace, the combustion of the charge ismaterially' promoted, and the steam, being also injected beneath thegrate, is compelled to pass through the entire charge, so that no partthereof is liable to escape without being decomposed. Furthermore, byrunning the heating-channels E up and down in vertical directions, I amenabled to connect each heating-channel by a separate branch pipe withthe pipe F, which connects with the steam and air pipes, the air and thesteam passing through said heating-channels are heated to a uniformtemperature, the operation of the apparatus is rendered simple andeconomical, and a uniform product of decomposition is obtained. Inpractice the ducts or channels are enameled inside, to prevent leakagethrough the pores of the rebricks; or, if desired, metallic pipes may beplaced into said channels.

I do not claim in this application the combination ot' heating-channelsformed in the bricks which form the lining of the decomposing-chamber,and provided with openings leading into said decomposingchamber, withair and steam pipes, through which air and steam are alternatelyadmitted to said heating-channels, since this combination forms thesubject-matter of a separate application for a patent.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of a furnace containing a decomposing-chamber lined withtire-bricks, return-channels ruiming up and down in said tire-bricks,and opening into the space beneath the grate ot' the furnace a pipewhich embraces the-furnace, and is provided with branch pipes, whichcommunicate with each of the returnchannels; and two supply-pipesone forair and the other for steam--both connected to the pipe which embracesthe furnace, all constructed and operating substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal this 22d day ot' November, 1876.

ADAM WEBER. [L. 5.] Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, OTTO HUFELAND.

